


Window Watching

by amtrak12



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F, First Meeting, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-02 23:53:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10230893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amtrak12/pseuds/amtrak12
Summary: Patty may not be able to see the sky or the sun or even the city streets from her booth in the subway, but she believes she still has the best view.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This started as Tolbert drabble for the prompt 'name', but then got combined with a prompt for the view outside the window, and now it's this.

Sometimes the timing of her shift meant Patty spent most of the daylight hours underground. When others would stare out over horizons from their 40th floor office or down into the streets from their apartment building, Patty stared at dimly lit tunnels and a busy stream of people. She'd argue her view was better.

There were the city natives, ignoring everyone and everything around them. There were the commuters, looking just as sure in their step as natives but with an unmistakable suburban vibe about them. There were the tourists, looking lost and bewildered, attempting to brave the subway rather than just taking a cab. There was the street musician who came every Wednesday afternoon, masterfully playing both concertos and 1970s rock on her violin. There was the not-starving-but-not-quite-successful artist who thought having an actual venue for a gallery was far too boring and preferred instead to graffiti the subway walls. There was the same four girls taking the subway to school that Patty had seen grow from middle school to high school.

Patty smiled at them all. She said hello and good morning and threw out comments -- "That's a cute backpack you got. I love purple." -- "Man, don't use that green paint again. It was shit to wash off last time." -- like she was old friends with all of them. They would smile back or ignore her or toss her an "Okay, Patty!" before letting loose on the wall with the green spray can. 

Watching the people who passed her booth was equal parts frustrating and enthralling. Who might give her a nod of acknowledgement today? Whose turn was it to renew their Metro card? Will the man in the headphones always staring at his feet continue to not collide with anyone while he walked or was today the day his streak finally ended?

"Hi."

Patty blinked up in shock at the woman standing outside her window. It had been nearly three hours since anyone had even bothered glancing at her, let alone come up to the booth.

"Hi." She recovered quickly and flashed a friendly smile. "Need a Metro card?"

"Oh." The woman shook her head. "No, I didn't need anything. I just noticed you?"

Patty had noticed the woman too. She was wearing a tweed suit and heels like a business woman from 1990. Her hair was a pretty shade of auburn, and she hadn't been rushing like most of the other subway riders.

"You have a nice smile," the woman said. Then she shook her head and gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Wow, that sounds like one of those lines, doesn't it?"

She looked so nervous and yet eager to chat at the same time. Patty felt that tug to get to know her better that she hadn't felt for someone in awhile.

"Can't say I mind. My name's Patty."

The woman brightened at the introduction. "I'm Erin."

"Erin." Patty smiled bigger. "It's nice to meet you."

Yeah her hours with the MTA might mean she missed seeing the sunlight or horizons or the flow traffic through the city streets, but the view down here in the subway was a lot better.


End file.
